14 Sep 2018

Four of the leading companies from the North West picked up awards last night for their outstanding performance over the last year at a ceremony in Manchester.

Last night over 440 people attended the annual North West Dinner of the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) where the winners were announced for the BVCA’s Management Team Awards 2018. These awards, produced in association with Grant Thornton, are the result of a year-long, forensic judging process to find the best businesses backed by private equity and venture capital across the UK.

All of the winners will now compete against almost 30 companies from around the country in the National Final which will be held at the BVCA Gala Dinner on 29 November in London.

The full list of winners for the BVCA North West Management Team Awards 2018:

Winner

Backed by

Category

Travel Counsellors

Equistone and Vitruvian Partners

Large Company Management Team

Styles & Wood

BGF

Mid-market Management Team

SPS

Maven Capital Partners

Growth Management Team

Push Doctor

Oxford Capital, Draper Esprit and others

Venture-backed Management Team

What the judges say

Large Company Management Team
Travel Counsellors

The traditional travel agent business is not an obvious place to find an outstanding example of growth and innovation. The judges liked the clever use of technology and ‘old economy’ methodology to create a truly scalable business, which has the potential to grow well beyond its already substantial size. We are impressed with the way this management team has worked together, building loyalty throughout the organisation at all levels. The company has now used private equity backing twice and is a great example of what can be achieved under private equity ownership.

Mid-market Management Team
Styles & Wood

Backed by BGF

Property and construction support services specialist based in Sale

We liked the confidence of the team in tackling new segments of its market, making acquisitions and strengthening the management team as it progressed. The company has successfully expanded its product offering into all aspects of property services, strengthening an already admired brand. This has delivered excellent profit growth in a market which is not straightforward.

Growth Management Team
SPS

Backed by Maven Capital Partners

Blackpool-headquartered manufacturer of promotional merchandise

The judges liked the fact that this management team have delivered exactly what was asked for it, turning a business around from losses under its previous ownership and delivering solid results and a good exit for Maven. The business is an excellent role model for what can be achieved.

Venture-backed Management Team
Push Doctor

The judges were impressed with the ambition and scope of the business. It has built a successful brand, raised very significant backing, and the company’s mission is inspiring; if successful, it could make a difference to many lives and make a significant contribution to public health. The management team are all experienced change-makers and the judges believe that overall this company stands a great chance of scaling successfully.

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Notes to editor

The BVCA Management Team Awards, produced in association with Grant Thornton UK LLP, are the only awards to celebrate the achievements of private equity and venture capital-backed management teams. There are eight regions in total, each with their own judging panel, and all winners are automatically forwarded to the national final, the results of which will be presented at the BVCA Annual Gala Dinner on 29 November in London.

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